Marijuana found growing in local forest

August 27, 2009 12:00:00 AM PDT

By Melissa MacBride

VENTURA, Calif. --

Parts of the Los Padres National Forest are being used as marijuana nurseries for Mexican drug cartels.Authorities have seized 550 pounds of marijuana in Ventura County this year, all from plants found growing in the Los Padres National Forest.

"Workers being supervised at the point of a gun means people are being held against their will. This is exploitation by a criminal enterprise, this is human trafficking," said Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks.

Authorities say the drug cartels are working in rugged terrain and they're not afraid to set up their operations 100 to 200 yards away from hiking and biking trails used by the public.

Cartel workers have not harmed forest visitors, but the grow sites are a fire danger. The recent La Brea Fire in Santa Barbara County that burned 89,000 acres may have been sparked by a propane stove used by a cartel worker. Narcotics detectives say the workers are also hurting the environment.

"They dam up our creeks, our streams, use the water, clear cut the land," said Pentis. "All their trash is left behind. The pesticides, a lot of the pesticides are illegal in California."

Ventura County investigators have cut down eight marijuana fields this year, valued at $381 million kept off the streets.